stand by
Britishverb
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(intr, adverb) to be available and ready to act if needed or called upon
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(intr, adverb) to be present as an onlooker or without taking any action
he stood by at the accident
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(intr, preposition) to be faithful to
to stand by one's principles
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(tr, adverb) English law (of the Crown) to challenge (a juror) without needing to show cause
noun
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a person or thing that is ready for use or can be relied on in an emergency
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( as modifier )
stand-by provisions
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in a state of readiness for action or use
adjective
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Be ready or available to act, as in I'm almost ready for you to carve the turkey, so please stand by . [Mid-1200s]
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Wait for something to resume, as in We are all standing by until the power is restored . Also see on standby .
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Be present but remain uninvolved, refrain from acting, as in I can't stand by and see these kids shoplifting . [Late 1300s]
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Remain loyal, as in She's my friend and I'll stand by her, no matter what . [Early 1500s] Also see stick by .
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Adhere to, abide by, as in I'm going to stand by what I said yesterday . [Late 1300s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bad things happen when good people stand by and say nothing, even if they are trying to avoid rocking the boat, fear upsetting people or risk ruining a relationship.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
“When there’s setbacks like this, you just wanna stand by him as close as you can and into this next phase on this detour to getting back onto the field.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
"We will not stand by with our arms folded," he added.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her,” a representative said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
Weighing the conflicting opinions, it was up to Kennedy to make a critical choice: stand by Cable 243, or retract it.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
